Petunia's Duo Dilemma 2
by Nyx Nox
Summary: The sequel to Petunia's Duo Dilemma: An enraged potions master, miserable emerald eyed twins, a whale of a cousin, and horse-faced aunt thrown together after a rescue mission that was supposed to save the lives of Harry and Iris Potter. AU. Child abuse references. Reading the original story may be beneficial to understanding this fanfic.
1. The Professor Interferes

_Before you read:_ This is the sequel to Petunia's Duo Dilemma. If you have not read the first story I suggest you do so before continuing to read.

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Iris and Harry prepared for the worst, accepting that they likely would not survive tonight's beating. Vernon was ready to release his fury and there would be no stopping him. The two were shaking, whimpering, and tensing up for the first blow. Tears leaked from Iris' eyes and Harry held her close to him.

They were unaware of anything besides preparing for the onslaught of pain. If they tried hard enough they could mentally block out everything from pain to their surroundings. It must have worked since the pain of the first blow never came.

"Or what?" Vernon broke the silence of the room. Harry opened his eyes a fraction and blanched. He nudged Iris and she opened her eyes and gasped.

"Lower the belt, Dursley," Professor Snape growled. His wand was pointed at the man. He felt angrier than expected before leaving Hogwarts.

The Potters looked horrible and didn't deserve the treatment they were about to receive. He expected them to be pampered or something close to that but no, their uncle was ready to beat the life out of them with no remorse whatsoever.

Vernon growled and whipped the belt down. Iris and Harry yelped and ducked down, arms raised above their heads.

"_IMMOBULUS,_" Severus shouted. The spell burst from his wand and Vernon was frozen in place. The belt dangled limply from his raised fist.

Iris burst into tears and curled into herself. Harry remained frozen, trying not to cry. Severus took a steadying breath and looked at the twins. He was ready to cry as well but the current situation needed to get handled.

Petunia entered the room, having been upstairs until the whimpering stopped, and stared at Severus. She stumbled backwards and held onto the doorway for support. Dudley was hidden in his bedroom. The aunt could not summon words.

"Petunia," Severus narrowed his eyes at her. The woman began to cry. He groaned. Three people crying. He wasn't prepared for the adult's tears on top of the twins'.

"I-" He shook his head and gritted his teeth. "I'll deal with you later." He then turned to face Iris and Harry. The man shrunk down to the twins' level and reached out to touch Harry. A frown creased across his features when Harry flinched back.

Severus stepped back and raised his wand. Iris and Harry stared up at him. Two pairs of Lily's eyes looking up at him with unreadable expressions. He needed to help them.

"Expecto patronum," Severus whispered. White light burst from the tip of his wand. It came out in the shape of a doe. He took a deep breath after and stuck the wand up his sleeve, glancing around the room.

The doe would arrive in Minerva McGonagall's office and reveal the events that spurred from what appeared to be use of accidental magic. Poppy or Minerva would arrive to help get the children to safety.

All that was left was to wait and try to calm the members of the house.

"Where is their stuff?" Severus turned to face Petunia. The woman shrunk back against the wall and pointed at the cupboard across from her.

"They have a room upstairs- the one with the locks on it. Some personal things are hidden under a loose floorboard," She whispered. The floorboard was discovered upon cleaning the room while the twins were taking care of outside chores one day. She was surprised to find their photo album.

"Their wands?" Severus was already headed toward the cupboard. Rage threatened to take over when he put the light on.

There was a dingy cot on the ground, obviously old blood splattered along the wall, and drawings that could only have been drawn by Harry and Iris hanging along the back wall. The twins' trunks were on top of the cot, apparently untouched since the two left school. There was no sign of any of the letters he sent to Iris.

"What the hell happened here?" He barked after moving the trunks into the hallway.

"Vernon…" Petunia whimpered. She couldn't bring herself to saying anything else. It would come out eventually.

She was no use. Severus sighed exasperatedly. He would have to get her to open up. Now was not the time though.

The wizard cast a protective shield over Iris and Harry. The two were in shock and silent as ever. He then went upstairs and was surprised to find the Dursley's son cowering in the corner of the hallway.

The amount of family members who were cowering in fear surprised him. Was it all Vernon's doing or did the son and wife have something to do with it? Eleven years of being with the family. The signs of abuse on the children, Dudley's mental state and bodily size included, were clear but who was to blame?

Severus brushed past the boy and approached the only door with outer locks on it. Five locks. That was rather unnecessary. Severus forced the thought aside and entered. The light didn't turn on when he moved the switch. A simple lumos spell would reveal that there were no light bulbs in the room.

He hated the Dursleys with a passion now that he was finding more signs of maltreatment. The neighbors should have noticed that the two children were miserably neglected and abused. He wondered if they ever noticed or if someone tried to notify the Ministry. Albus insisted the children were treated like royalty at home. Perhaps there was even more to the story than just blood relatives tormenting Lily's children.

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**A/N:** I will be working a lot this summer and have no idea when my next update will be. I will hopefully have something up every other week but I am _**not**_ making promises. I plan to have at least 1000 words for each update and will not post anything unless the next chapter is already halfway written.

I am a college student who writes for fun and does not spend every waking moment working on fanfics. Please keep that in mind before getting snarky about how scattered my updates can get.

Also, there's no way I can be Queen Rowling. I am an American and owe her a thank you for creating a plot bunny for me.


	2. The Lion's Arrival and Leaving

Shout out to the guest reviewer who corrected my spell choice in chapter one. Onward with the chapter...

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A quick glance around the room revealed that the twins had no worldly belongings. The movement of the only visibly loose floorboard brought about the discovery of the twins' photo album, a few drawings, and the invisibility cloak as well as Iris' bracelets.

"Fantastic," Severus muttered under his breath. He grabbed hold of everything that looked as though it belonged to the twins and shrunk them down to fit into his cloak pocket. He would resize them once the twins were brought back to his home.

A shriek echoed from downstairs and he closed his eyes. It had to belong to Petunia there was no way Iris or Harry could hit such a high pitched tone. He left the room and almost bumped into the Dursley's whale of a son.

Dudley froze and backed against the wall of the hallway. Snape ignored him and went down the stairs two at a time. He breathed out a sigh of relief upon spotting Minerva. Dudley silently followed after him. His blonde head could be seen peering over the stairwell. Petunia stood off to the side of the hallway, stunned to have two adult wizards in her home.

"Minerva," Severus breathed out.

"Severus," McGonagall gave him a curt nod. "I see you have things under control. I suggest we move the family at once and allow the aurors we trust to assess the scene. Leave the uncle behind and get everyone else to safety."

"I'm not taking the muggles to my home," Severus set his jaw. "I don't trust either of them but I know they can't have done as bad as Vernon."

"We can't keep them at Hogwarts, Severus," Minerva frowned. "Albus will definitely know it was us." Taking the Potters from their home was a plan of Minerva, Severus, and Poppy. Albus was kept out of the loop for the reason that any decisions the headmaster made would likely place the Potters in more danger. Running into family members was not part of the plan. The use of accidental magic was a red flag that practically screamed danger. They needed to act as soon as they could.

Severus opened his mouth to speak but Minerva held up a hand to silence him. She still had more to say and was only going to continue if Severus gave her his full attention.

"I know you don't want to but it's the only hope we have. Maybe they will actually treat the children better now that Vernon isn't involved." She sighed and glanced at Vernon. Petunia and Dudley were lurking awkwardly near the entrance of the kitchen.

"Or," Severus glared in Petunia's direction, "We stick the lot of them in Azkaban for a few days."

Petunia's face paled. That was the wizard prison she once heard the man and her sister talk about back when they were children.

"We'll behave," She blurted out. Severus and Minerva stared at her, having forgotten that the family was even there to begin with. "I swear. Just don't put Dudley into harm's way."

"Mrs. Dursley, you are lucky we are legally not allowed to put you and your family through the hell Harry and Iris appear to have suffered while living here," Minerva growled. "If I could, I would ensure you had to endure the treatment Lily and James' children received from you and your husband."

Petunia made a noise similar to a dog that had its tail tread on and backed against the wall once more.

"He made me do it," She cried out and began sobbing. "He threatened to kill me and the twins if I didn't treat them like they were worthless."

Severus grimaced and took a deep breath. He needed to remain level headed and calm for the poor children in the other room. No exploding, no yelling. If anything like that happened Harry and Iris would lose the little trust they had in him. He couldn't risk it.

"We'll talk one on one once we get everyone situated," He said. "Take Dudley and pack a bag of your stuff- necessities only. Minerva will escort you to my house." Minerva gave him a small nod.

"Hurry up then," The professor murmured. "The headmaster will start asking questions if I'm not at Hogwarts in time for our meeting." There was no meeting she just needed the Dursleys to understand the importance of rushing.

Petunia and Dudley disappeared to the second level of the house, leaving Minerva and Severus to tend to the twins. Minerva waved her wand and lowered the shield charm that surrounded the twins once she was certain Vernon wasn't going anywhere.

"You poor dears," She grimaced upon spotting the still shaking Potters. "I'm so sorry. I should have intervened earlier."

Her words fell on deaf ears; the twins were sobbing. She gazed at Harry and put on the tone she used for dealing with first years heading to the infirmary.

"Mr. and Miss Potter," She kept her voice low and friendly. "Your uncle can no longer hurt you." The twins looked like a pair of deer staring into headlights. "We're taking you to safety."

"I'm taking you home," Severus said. He had a pained expression. They were Lily's kids. He once imagined being her husband. Now everything felt absolutely wrong. "If you eventually agree, I will work to ensure I get custody of you. You won't have to live with your uncle ever again."

The twins exchanged confused looks. They were having a conversation based solely off their facial expressions.

"We have to move fast though. Aurors will be coming and the Headmaster will likely be involved. He can't know we have you," He continued. "Minerva is there any way to stall him?"

"I will figure something out if the two agree to accompany you home," She answered. Petunia and Dudley were given no choice on the decision.

Harry gave Iris a single jerky nod. Then the two stepped forward and clasped hands, gazing expectantly up at Severus.

"You'll have to take them to Mrs. Figg's to disapparate. It's just outside the safety ward," Minerva said. She stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Harry and Iris' foreheads. The two shrunk back from her and she bit back a wince. They were so broken and so trusting. She failed the twins and she failed their parents.

"I'll meet you back at Spinner's end with their … the other two," She could not call Petunia and Dudley their family. Severus nodded and looked to the Potters.

"Shall we?" He asked. Harry glanced at Iris. _I trust him._ She thought and tried to display the words with her eyes. Her fingers tightened around Harry's and she squeezed, grasping Severus' hand with her free one.

Severus was surprised to say the least. He looked to Minerva and she gave him an encouraging nod. One deep breath and he was able to find the strength to link fingers with Iris' and step forward. Things were certainly going to change once they reached the outside of Mrs. Figg's house.

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	3. Barely Home

Iris' form shuddered the moment they left the house. Severus would not have been surprised if either of the children passed out. They must have been exhausted or at least emotionally drained from the events of the evening. On their birthday too. He had to bite down hard on his lower lip to keep from saying or doing anything rash.

The professor led the children down the road, allowing them to take their time in walking. It would have been so much easier to Floo from the home but the Ministry kept track of that. He and Minerva worked things out so a portkey would be used. It was just a matter of getting the Potters safely to the woman's home.

Harry and Iris stuck close to each other. The grip around Severus' hand slackened so the twins were only connected. Harry was far quieter than usual. The twins were too quiet for someone who spawned from James but Severus shoved the thought aside when the pair came to a sudden stop. He hadn't even noticed that they arrived at the house. All it would take was a knock on the door, but even then Severus was incredibly concerned.

Arabella watched the twins grow up and reported the mistreatment of them to Albus from time to time. The man never listened. Albus was of little concern at the time but that knowledge made him fear that Arabella would spook the children even further by yelling or saying something out of turn. The door opened before he raised his hand to knock.

"Severus," The old woman crooned. "Harry and Iris, what a surprise." News of their approaching arrival was announced by the appearance of a patronus and rushed instructions from Minerva. Arabella was ready with a bag of necessities packed for each child, complete with everything from extra socks to sweets, and the warning to not say anything too worrying.

"The kitchen is clear," She added with a frown. "I don't know how long you have until..." Severus cut her off with a wave of his arm. He didn't want the twins to be stressed.

"Thank you Arabella," He said, stony faced and voice devoid of emotion. They had minutes left before the portkey would be useless. Rushing was going to become necessary. "Into the kitchen," He announced and tried to sound a little more cheerful. He would have to work on the emotions and caring for the twins once they were home and used to each other. Severus hadn't truly cared about anyone since Lily. Now his heart was aching to mend the pain the twins went through.

"We're ... I'll explain it once we get home." _We._ The word was so new to use in regards to himself and another person. "I need you to grab hold of this." His gaze moved from the children to his cloak pocket, then to Arabella. He pulled a ceramic plate from his pocket and looked Harry in the eye. "You two _have_ to hold onto this," He couldn't stress the importance of what was happening. "It's going to feel like ..." How to put it into child terms. It was challenging but he eventually had to fight back a grin. "Like you have to sneeze but you can't. It's going to be uncomfortable but it's the only way we can travel without someone trying to get you into trouble." Harry and Iris timidly nodded in understanding and reached an arm forward, the looks of confusion highly recognizable on their features.

"It will take us home." That was all Severus could say before urging the twins to grasp it. The plate felt warm to the touch and he knew there was mere seconds left before they disappeared. "Arabella I'll update you," The sentence was rushed out and then the ever familiar tug at the navel took over.

The world flashed before Iris and Harry's eyes. The two felt terrible and everything seemed to be spinning. It was too fast and too new of a feeling for them to enjoy the experience. Severus' words hardly registered. All they remembered was him offering them a plate. In the moment of hungriness, Harry reached his arm forward in the hope that food would appear on it. Instead they were gone, spiraling to wherever 'home' was.

It felt like hours passed by, although it was really a few seconds, before their feet were touching the ground again. Harry and Iris whimpered, jostled by the arrival and suddenly unstable. The view was slowly coming into focus and left Harry gasping in surprise. They were inside a house - in the dining room to be exact. He knew magic could do tons of wonderful things but transporting from one house to another seemed like something beyond his imagination. Protectively, he slipped an arm around Iris and narrowed his eyes at the professor. It was going to be a cruel trick if the man decided they needed to return to Uncle Vernon.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. Instead, his body shook and tears began to stream from his eyes. Iris was stick still beside him, her own features faltering to match the appearance Harry's had taken. The fears from the night caught up to the Potters and there was no stopping them now that their walls came down.

Severus shifted awkwardly, eyeing the two. He didn't do tears and he was never the type for providing comfort. Having been neglected of it at a young age sort of made it a challenge for him. He hated seeing two children so broken and knew he needed to take action.

"I'm sorry," He breathed out in a sigh. His tone was soft and cautious. The aunt and whale of a cousin were not in the house yet. He would have known by now. "That was a portkey. It's used to travel quickly from one spot to another. I should have said more but it's more important that I get you somewhere safe. This is my house," He gestured to the clean room around him. The twins didn't even seem to be listening. That would have bothered him had he not accepted that they were too far lost for him to do anything about it. "I think it's best you two go to bed." He let the words linger in the air, waiting for one of them to protest. The twins simply sniffled and the redhead managed a nod.

The poor things were so tired looking. Instead of leading them to the rooms he set up he transfigured two chairs into mattresses and set them up, transfiguring a few other objects around the room into pillows and blankets. Iris and Harry were making their way closer and closer toward the back of the room. Severus made no comments and instead riffled around through one of the cupboards. He pulled out the potion he set up before leaving, dreamless sleep and something to ensure they had a painless night, and poured it into two glasses.

"Come here," He beckoned to the twins and they rushed forward. The fear was visible in their eyes but Severus continued. He spoke as though he was instructing a class. His voice was strict yet caring and just loud enough to get the twins to look up and listen. "Drink this, then get to bed." His words were met by two pairs of _her_ eyes staring at him. Harry crossed his arms over his chest and Iris didn't budge. Deep down he knew the twins still didn't trust him even after being taken away from the hell they called home.

"Okay," Severus sighed and raised a glass to his lips, taking a gulp of the liquid. He swallowed and looked down at the Potters. "It's safe." The two eyed him again then looked to each other, shrugging before taking the drinks and gulping them down. "Goodnight," Severus sighed and waited until they were settled in the makeshift beds before grabbing the antidote. He didn't have enough to knock him out but his eyes were already feeling like they were drooping. The antidote was gulped down and his emotions resumed the adrenaline filled un-sureness from earlier. He had a feeling he was in for a long night and was not looking forward to Petunia and her son's arrival.

There was too much to do. Severus moved around in the next room over, checking on the Potters every chance he got, until he had all the supplies he needed. Madam Pomfrey was due over any time now and she was bringing over a team of healers to make sure the twins were stable enough to survive the weekend. She gave the okay to get the twins to sleep and the two felt terrible for using a potion to make sure they slept. It was the only way to get anything done without creating a commotion.

A thud from downstairs startled Severus and a horrible wailing sound made him know exactly who arrived. The Dursleys and Minerva. Why they had to be taken to his home of all places was beyond him. The son was a good for nothing brat and the mother was horrible. Had she not seemed so upset over everything he would have left her in the house to meet the fate of her husband. Minerva insisted though and Severus knew better than to argue with the lioness. Severus abandoned his work and rushed downstairs, a scowl promptly taking over when he set eyes on the boy.

"You stop that this instant," He ordered and the boy obliged, his mouth snapping shut. Petunia opened her mouth to argue and Severus shook his head. "The Potters are asleep upstairs. I will not be happy if your unnecessary noise wakes them up."

Dudley growled and went to speak but Minerva set a hand on his shoulder, her own stern look getting him to remain quiet.

"There's a room set up down the hall you two can go there and settle in. I'll deal with you later," Severus grumbled. "Don't ruin anything." He added as an afterthought. "And don't bother me."

Minerva almost wanted to apologize for her coworker's rudeness but there was no point in doing so. She was enraged at the treatment of the children and caring enough to make sure the others involved were brought to safety. Dudley was going to need just as much help as his cousins. She could tell just from looking at him. The sleeping angels upstairs were the main concern though.

"Have you heard from Poppy?" She asked, her gaze lingering on the retreating forms of the Dursleys as they disappeared into the only room in the hallway. They would find a setup rather similar to what the Potters had, a coincidence, and would deal with it until things were less hectic.

"No," Severus sighed. "I don't know when to expect her but I've got the potions she asked for." Part of him didn't want Poppy and her team to come. "I'm afraid, Minerva."

"I know," The woman answered with a frown. "But it's a good thing. Imagine if we arrived a few minutes later..."

Severus shivered at the thought. Finding the uncle with a belt in hand was one thing, but he couldn't possibly have left the place in the condition he did if he came across the bloodied bodies of the twins.

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**A/N:** Well… It's been a while, hasn't it? My apologies for taking so long to update. I lost track of time and struggled through a semester at school... And sort of lost my muse for a time. The quality of this chapter isn't too great and I'm incredibly sorry for that reason. I promise I haven't abandoned this story. I just needed some time to get through college and regain my muse.


	4. Making Good

**A/N:** To those of you asking if this story has been abandoned, the answer is no. I've just had a hectic semester. I spent the last couple of days in the library to focus on this chapter so hopefully it's okay. It was a challenge to write since things took a heavy turn, but bear with me. They will get better. Also, the ending freaking sucks so I'm sorry. The next chapter'll be up sooner or later.

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Severus pace back and forth the length of the hallway that led from the kitchen to the room the Potters were being cared for in. Poppy gave strict orders to not interfere or ask questions and shooed him from the room. Minerva went about getting tea going on the kettle and kept quiet, occasionally casting a reassuring gaze in Severus' direction. There was a lot of work to be done and the Potters would need an extensive amount of time to recover. It was tough to keep a strong front for every healer involved. The twins were battered worse than anyone could have imagined and the initial spell to get a list of any injuries sustained didn't want to stop growing.

Improperly healed bones, broken ribs, malnourishment, vitamin deficiencies, concussions, staunched growth, broken teeth, burn marks, and countless scars and bruises in various stages of healing were the things that stood out on the list. Poppy couldn't bring herself to doing a prolonged scan of injuries but she knew it needed to be done so she called on a fellow Healer for assistance and went about checking the twins' vital signs.

Both were dehydrated and malnourished. It looked as though their last meal hadn't been in weeks. The healers would quickly discover that years of abuse and neglect tormented the twins. The reason behind it unknown, but they had a culprit in Azkaban and a culprit in the very house.

Poppy was livid to say the least. Her head was reeling. Years of healing and caring for students at Hogwarts did not prepare her for one of the worst cases of abuse she would come across. The Potter's children didn't deserve any of it.

"We're going to have to force them under," One of the healer's voices drifted into her thoughts. Poppy flinched, her eyes wide with alarm, and stared at him.

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to that," Poppy grimaced. She wanted to cry. Seeing injuries was a part of her job. Seeing the broken bodies of her friends' children was something she wasn't prepared for. She didn't understand how the twins could have kept quiet about what was done to them.

"I fear they won't heal properly if we don't. Most cases like these involve the child refusing treatment," The healer continued. His lips were pressed together to the point of creating a thin line. No one working the case was pleased. They each took an oath to not talk about anything that happened outside of the home.

Madam Pomfrey nodded in reply, knowing the man was right. They worked in silence after that. Harry and Iris were forced into a deep sleep. A charm was cast to make sure the healers were alerted if either of their heart rates went below normal. After that, the staff got to work on mending the minor injuries to the twins.

Poppy excused herself once the children were in a stable condition. The makeshift infirmary beds would have to do for now. Hours had passed since she last spoke to Minerva and Severus. She pulled the curtain that blocked the room from view and unsteadily made her way into the kitchen.

"Do you want tea?" Minerva's voice was the first to meet her ears. She was greeted by two tired and stressed looking professors. The woman offered the mug to Poppy. "Relax," She ordered. Poppy looked like she'd been through hell. It wasn't a good sign but she wasn't willing to ask about it.

Severus opened his mouth speak but the words were stuck in the back of his throat. The three sat in silence until Poppy was ready to brief them on everything that was discovered.

"We've forced them into a coma," She began. Minerva brought a hand to her mouth to cover the gasp that threatened to escape. Severus looked like he was ready to throw up. "They're stable. That's the important thing."

"Yes, but—" Severus was interrupted by the wave of Poppy's arm. He promptly shut his mouth and began tapping his foot against the ground.

"There is a lot more damage than you can see outwardly," She didn't know how she could announce this without her voice wavering. It wasn't supposed to happen. "The girl's got a broken arm that didn't heal right. They both have broken ribs, scars, and welts in various stages of healing. The uncle did a number on them. I'm not sure how long they'll be kept under but we need to make sure those bones at least heal without their disturbing it. We couldn't find any information about their last doctor's visit. I assume they have immune system problems because of that."

She paused to let the adults take in her words. Their worried expressions mimicked her appearance. Poppy used her moment of silence to take a sip of the tea Minerva offered her. She took a steadying deep breath before continuing.

"Paul's running all the immunity tests. We'll have to wait for him to check them at Saint Mungo's so the answer won't be available until tomorrow," Her voice broke at that. Poppy felt the strength that kept her from breaking down begin to dissipate. Her eyes widened at the realization so she took a breath and forced out the last couple of words. "It's a miracle they're still alive."

Her emotions got the upper hand after that, leaving her sniffling and wiping her eyes to prevent tears from falling.

Severus opened and shut his mouth, not knowing what to say. He felt as though someone hit him with an unforgivable curse.

"We need to do something about the relatives," He stated in a defeated tone. The women in the room turned to look at him, confusion briefly dancing across their features. "I don't want them here."

Minerva stared at him for a moment. He was clearly angry but the thought of sending the aunt and her son back to the place didn't seem plausible. Vernon was no longer in the picture and Petunia, regardless of what she claimed, would be needed for the hearing. The boy though. That was the one problem she had.

"We can send the aunt to the Leaky Cauldron," She suggested in a whisper. "Private room and an order member to guard her until the Wizengamot decides her and her husband's fate."

"I don't want the boy," Severus stated. "The twins have been put through enough hell by their family members. I took him and Petunia in a moment of desperation. I don't care what they did; they didn't need to see the bastard get carted off." Deep down he thought it would have served them right but the two seemed to have just as much trauma as the twins seemed to while at school.

"He's going to need somewhere to stay for the time being," Minerva sighed. "Poppy, could we see them?" She asked, feeling the need to take the conversation back to the most important members of the family. In her mind, it was more important that the twins heal but the boy didn't deserve to go back to his parents. They abused their cousins and let him get to a dangerously heavy weight. That alone had to count as neglect of some sort.

"They're sleeping," Poppy answered with a grim look. The looks of concern on Minerva and Severus' faces had her rethinking her answer. "Briefly, but I have to be with you. As I said, we're still working on healing them I only came out because I didn't want to leave you worrying. I have to warn you though, they don't look well."

Severus put his mug down, the contents spilling out on the table from the force of his actions. He was met with a not-so-stern look from Minerva.

"Severus you don't have to if—" Minerva stopped talking. Severus was shaking his head and already on his feet.

"I need to, Minerva," He answered. "Poppy, lead the way please." The healer nodded and brought her friends into the living room. Gasps were heard from both adults upon seeing the unclothed forms of the twins. The damage was unimaginable. Most of the bruises were less noticeable after a serum had been put on but they still stood out.

Minerva lasted two minutes in the room before needing to leave. Severus, on the other hand, stayed just long enough to press a kiss to each child's forehead and wish them well before departing.

Poppy lingered in the doorway, eyeing Severus and Minerva with a look of concern. The sick feeling in her stomach didn't seem to want to leave.

"We can't let Albus find out about this," She said. "I assume you've already taken the precautions to making a safe house?"

Severus nodded in reply. He couldn't find any other words. The rest of his night would be spent at the kitchen table with Minerva, the two anxiously waiting for any other news from the staff of healers in the room next door.

* * *

"I'm hungry," The whining was the first thing to permeate the otherwise silent house. Severus woke with a start, his knee hitting the table when he jerked awake. Minerva was nowhere to be found. Last time he checked, the woman was sat beside him. He felt incredibly disoriented, yet surprisingly rested, for someone who accidentally fell asleep at the kitchen table. The only problem was that he didn't recall falling asleep.

Severus groaned, his hand running through the loose curls on top of his head. He glanced around for a moment. Confusion etched across his features when he spotted the source of the complaining. The cousin was upstairs, his mother a few paces behind him.

"I'm hungry," Dudley repeated. Severus wrinkled his nose. Food, of course, was the one thing he didn't think about. He barely spent time in the house while away from the school, seeing as the memories weren't all that great, so the fridge was rarely stocked.

"It's nice to meet you hungry," Severus said in a deadpan tone. "My name is Severus." The boy opened and closed his mouth, unsure what to say. Severus smirked. "You're going to have to wait until Minerva is back."

"Can I have something to drink then?" The boy inquired. Severus expected an argument, kicking, or screaming. He was pleasantly surprised.

"You can have water from the sink," He grumbled and got up to get a mug. His words were followed by Petunia's making a squeaking noise. "Yes?" He asked and raised an eyebrow, offering the mug to Dudley.

"Nothing," Petunia shrugged and gulped back whatever harsh words she planned on saying.

"Mummy doesn't let me drink from the tap," Dudley answered with a shrug. "She says the brats are the only ones allowed to drink from it." Petunia looked as though she swallowed an egg. Severus looked slightly taken aback but he chose against making a scene.

"Yes, well things are different here," He said somewhat calmly. The glance in Petunia's direction was anything but kind. "Go on, get the water."

Dudley nodded, going to the sink to fill his glass. Petunia looked like she swallowed a lemon when her son drank from the mug. Severus paid little attention to the Dursleys. He instead turned his back on them, walking toward the living room.

The partition was still up. Severus' timing was almost perfect. He almost collided into Poppy on his way in.

"How are they doing?" The words came out even though he'd meant to apologize.

"Okay," Poppy sighed, her head tilting slightly when she spotted Petunia. "They made it through the night and are still sleeping. We need to talk about potions supplements when you're not busy."

"I'll be running out later to get ingredients," Severus nodded in reply. He was surprisingly calm. "Minerva left. I'm not leaving the house until someone is here to make sure those two don't lay a finger on the twins." There were spells to do that but he didn't trust them, for fear that they might falter.

Poppy glanced over at Petunia. She didn't know how she felt about the woman. Seeing her out of her element made her look as though she wouldn't hurt a fly.

"I have to get back to school," Poppy grimaced. "Before my absence is noticed." Severus groaned. "There are healers on round the clock who have decided to use their off days to stay by the two and keep an eye on everything. If there's a problem they will let you know."

Three days would pass before either of the Potters were well enough to open their eyes. Severus would find that the cousin, despite his temper tantrums, was somewhat tolerable. Minerva took it upon herself to get food, deemed healthy by her, Poppy and Petunia, for the house. The options were simple enough for the Dursleys to fend for themselves, while also leaving room for Severus to make sure he ate.

Severus spent the days fretting about the twins' wellbeing and making most of the potions Poppy suggested. Things were quiet for the most part. Petunia and Dudley kept to their room while Severus kept to the rest of the house. They would stay that way until the Potters were well enough to join them.


End file.
